In spite of the numerous recent technological advances in field of hearing amplification devices, current technologies may not be effective for older adults who have central auditory processing and cognitive processing difficulties. Additionally, untreated hearing loss lowers performance on aurally administered diagnostic tests used to quantify the severity of dementia and can significantly confound the clinical picture in this population. Furthermore, the use of amplification is associated with reduction in problem behavior in persons with a primary diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease and a reduction in hearing handicap for persons with Alzheimer's disease and their significant others.